A body found in Mexico is believed to be the remains of an American traveler who went missing while traveling on his motorcycle through Central and South America. Harry Devert hasn’t been heard from since January and his motorcycle was found in a remote area with human remains nearby wrapped in plastic bags.

According to ABC News on July 12, Devert, who was proud to be a New Yorker, was writing a book about his travels. For the last two years he had traveled all over the world alone, documenting his life for this book. He created a website, “A New Yorker Travels,” where he chronicled his travels.

Last fall Devert embarked on a lengthy leg of his road trip that took him through South and Central America. He was planning to end this trip at the World Cup in Brazil, but he seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth in January, when all his communications with family, friends and social network stopped.

According to the New York Daily News the body was found in a black plastic bag on a dirt road leading to Mexico's La Majahua Beach. The motorcycle found was confirmed to be Devert’s, but the body found nearby would need identifying before they can officially confirm the remains as his. To speed up this process, Devert’s mother is headed to Mexico to provide DNA for identification purposes.

This has to be a disturbing trip for any mother to take, but the family’s lawyer said that Ann Devert is “remaining optimistic.” The lawyer, Darren Del Sardo, also said that she is “doing the best she possibly could do in this very trying time.”

A family friend has been busy updating the Facebook page “Help Find Harry” and has asked that people who knew Devert to post their memories of their friend on this page. On his website where he documented his journey he wrote his simple philosophy for his need to travel in life;

“I believe life is short and that we need to make the most of it, and while many people say this, I truly try and live my life accordingly."

If this body is indeed Devert's then it is fair to surmise that he met with foul play while in Mexico. While family and friends remain optimistic that this body is not his and he is still alive somewhere, the fact that he hasn't made contact with anyone still paints a grim picture of Devert's fate.

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Roz Zurko is a freelance writer originally from Milford, Conn. Today she writes from her home at the foot of the Berkshires in Massachusetts. Her articles have appeared in magazines, newspapers and online. She has been a guest author on BBC radio and her online articles are read by more than a million people each month.